Gunpowder Plot: Westminster to Holbeche House

The plotters wanted to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament. On 25 March 1605 they bought the lease to an undercroft owned by John Whynniard, a storage cellar beneath the Lords. On 4 November a search party found a large pile of firewood there, beside a man claiming to be a servant who said it belonged to his master, Thomas Percy. The man was Guy Fawkes.

With Fawkes arrested, six conspirators rode northwest and stopped at Ashby St Ledgers at about 6 pm, where they met Robert Wintour. The village was home ground for the plot's leader: its manor had passed into the Catesby family in 1375 and become their principal residence. The group did not stay long before riding on to Dunchurch.

Location precision: The account names the village, not a building; the pin marks the village centre.

At Dunchurch, Everard Digby had gathered a "hunting party". The plotters stayed at the Lion Inn, now a private residence called Guy Fawkes House. Had the explosion worked, they planned to kidnap the King's daughter, Princess Elizabeth, from nearby Coombe Abbey. Instead Catesby announced to the party that the King and Salisbury were dead, hoping to rally support, before the fugitives moved west.

Location precision: The pin marks the village of Dunchurch; the Lion Inn is a private home and no separate pin was verified.

On 6 November, with Fawkes still keeping his silence, the fugitives raided Warwick Castle for supplies, then continued to Norbrook to collect weapons. The sheriff's posse that later besieged them was originally seeking those responsible for this raid. From Warwick the plotters headed for Huddington and then Holbeche House, but they received practically no support or sympathy from those they met.

Thomas Bates rode to Coughton Court to deliver a letter from Catesby to Henry Garnet and other priests. Garnet replied by begging them to stop their "wicked actions", then fled himself. The Throckmorton family who owned the house were only indirectly implicated. Today you can see a priest hole, one of the hiding places built when Catholics were persecuted, in the house.

Visitor guidance: The house is open to the public but not all year round; check opening days before travelling.

The fugitives reached Holbeche House at about 10 pm. Gunpowder set to dry in front of the fire was ignited by a stray spark, and several were maimed. On 8 November Richard Walsh, Sheriff of Worcestershire, and 200 men besieged the house. Catesby and Percy were reportedly killed by a single lucky shot. Some walls still have holes from muskets used in the storming of 1605.